Toy phone



H. D. ALLEN Dec. 8, 1925- TOY PHONE 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed July 21, 1922INVENTOR [{mwIJD. A1]en,-

ATTORNEY Dec. 8,1925- 1.565.222

H. D. ALLEN TQY PHONE Filed July 21, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTORHarald 0.4411811,

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES;

PATENT o aries.

HAROLD D. ALLEFT, 0133 EAST HAMPTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE GONGBELL IYIANUFAOTUEING COMPANY, 033 EAST HAMPTON, CONNECTICUT, ACORPORATION OF- CONNECTICUT.

TOY PHON E.

Application filed July 21, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD D. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,and' a resident of East Hampton, in the county of Middle sex and Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ToyPhones, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description,whereby anyone skilled in the art may make and use the same.

The invention relates to toys andparticularly to a toy of the telephonetype which simulates, in some respects, the radio tele phone, in that ithas ahead piece or clamp and receivers whichmay be adjusted to the ear.

It'is designed particularly to be used as an amusing toy forchildrenover whichthe voice may be transmitted, and while not being directed tothe commercial type of telephone, has certain features which will appealto the child and permit transmission of sound waves.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple toy whichwill havecertain features of the standard-telephone transmitting and receivingsets and will enable the child to play at receiving and sendingmessages.

A further object is to provide a sounding device, the manipulation ofwhich will give a'clear tone signal in simulation of that employed onthe usual commercial telephone set.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1, is a view in side elevation with the transmitter and receiverelements broken in section.

Figure 2, is a front face view of the features illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3, is a view in elevation of the head piece and attachedreceivers.

Figure 4, is z t-fragmentary view illustrat ing the clamp device bywhich the receivers are adjusted.

Figure 5, is a diagrammatic view illustrating the head clamp andreceivers in conncction with a transmittingtelephone set.

Toy telephones having signalling devices are not new inthe art nor is itnew in the art to provide a receiving and sending de- Serial No.576,456.

vice in a toy with a connecting wire or cord over which sound vibrationsmay be transmitted.

The present invention differs from this prior art in that it provides ahead piece with means for ready adjustment in connection with a bell toytelephone transmitter which will permit children to utilize the devicein simulation of the sending and receiving elements of a radio phone.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 1, denotes a hand piece or post uponwhich is mounted a cap 2, to which is secured a plate 3, supporting thetransmitter 4.

The transmitter consists of a mouthpiece 5, and a sound chamber having afront plate 6, and a rear plate 7. These plates are stamped or spun up.from sheet metaland are clamped together as at 8, to secure a diaphragm9.

The rear member of the chamber 7, has

an opening 10, and to stiffenthe rear wall thereof, plates 11, 12,also-perforated, are secured by screws 13.

A cord orwire 14, extends through the center of the diphragm 9, to areceiver member 15.

Operatively mounted with reference to the standard 1, is a signallingdevice 16, having an operating finger piece 17. This may be of anydesired form or type so long as the finger piece 17 actuates a strikerto sound the gong 18. It is in resonant connection with the diaphragmof'the transmitter 4 so that the sound producedby the signallingdevice'is transmitted directly to and causes vibration of the diaphragm.9.

As a companion element to the transmitter there is a receivinghead piecesuch as illustrated in Figs. 3,- 4 and 5. This consists ofa pair ofcurved spring bands 19, 20, which are pivotally connected to ether neartheir ends so as to be adjustable over the head through said pivotalconnections 21, 22.

These connections, including the pivots and spring washers 23, will givea resilient gripping action between the head bands 19, 20.

The spring washers and pivots also unite the head bands and clamps 24,24. These are of general U shape and are perforated to receive and holdadjusting bars 25. The adjusting bars 25, have U shaped brackets 26,pivoted to the lower ends thereof and also pivoted to the receivers 15.

There is a receiver for each ear and these receivers may be adjusted toany desired position by pressing together the ends of the clamps 24, 24,which hold the rods 25. A further adjustment is secured by the pivotalconnection of the U shaped members 26 with the receivers.

It will be noted that there is little to become disarranged in thisassembly of the elements and the child may adjust the bands 19, 20, andthe rods 25, and receivers 15, without liability of harmii'ig the toy.At the same time, these features simulate the usual telephone receivingset.

The receivers 15, are sin'iilar in construction to the transmittersalthough of a shape and form to simulate the usual head piece receivingset.

There is a diaphragm 27, clamped between the annular ear piece 28, andthe diaphragm chamber casing 29. The latter is pierced as at 30, toprovide room for the free attachment oi the cord or Wire let, to thediaphragm 27.

In Figure 5, in place of a hand standard or handle 1, there is the usualform of desk telephone set comprising abase 31, standard 32, transmitter33, and receiver 34c.

There is also a sounding device 35, the actuating lever of whichterminates in a receiver hook 36. A movement of the receiver hook 36,will sound the gong of the signalling device 35, just as the si 'nallingdevice 16, is sounded by a movement 01 the finger level 17, of Figures 1and 2.

Each diaphragm-carrying telephone instrument represented, whether of theform shown in Fig. 1 or in Fig. 3, consists of two shell-likesections,-6 and 7, Fig. 1, and 28, 29, Fig. 3and a vibratory diaphragmbetween them. This diaphragm is of circular form, and the peripheraledges of tie two sections of the casing lie on opposite sides of theedge portion thereof and are united together, confining the diaphragmbetween them, by folding over the edge of one of the sections. This notonly unites the parts of the instrument, but makes a strong reinforcedoint where the parts meet and supports the diaphragm, so that it is freeto vibrate and act as a sound transmitter, while the edge of thediaphragm serves as a die part against which is spun the turned overedge 0;: the casing section.

The shell-like sections or the casing of the telephone instrument bothhave centrally located openings through them, one to permit the passageof the cord, or wire 14, and the other to freely admit sound Waves tothe diaphragm. The opening through one section of the casing of thetransmitting i11- struinent shown in Fig. 1,-that through which passesthecord or wire 14is secured to the support that carries thetransmitter, such support surrounding the central opening through thesection of the casing to which it is secured, and there being anadditional supporting plate member within the chamber of the casing,which is united to the support.

It is quite apparent from the above, that children may utilize this toytalking from either end of the connecting cord or wire. In case thechild having the head piece with the bands 19, 20, desires to talk backto the child using the transmitter, all that is necessary is to slip thehead piece aside and talk into the receiver 15, which isconnected withthe transmitter l, or 33.

This play may all be controlled by manipulation of the sounding devices.A signal may first be given by the child holding the hand piece 1, ordesk set and thereupon a conversation may be opened through thetransmitter of the sending set to the receiver of the head set. Responsemay be made to the sending set from the head set by readjusting theposition of the head set and talking into the receiver.

The features of adjustment of the head set are a source of amusement tothe child as they may, in play, simulate all the action of the telephoneoperator who ordinarily employs such an apparatus.

Obviously, the exact details and arrangement of the elements may bemodified without departing from the spirit or intent of the inventionand various forms of signalling devices might be employed in place ofthose specifically describe It will be apparent that any combination orduplication of the elements may be used. For instance, two transmissionsets, such as illustrated in Figure 1, or Figure 5, may be employed withtheir signalling device and the interconnected cord or wire or two headsets, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, may be employed. In the lattercase, the position of the head piece would have to be shiftedmomentarily, during the conversation of the sender, to the receiver, andwhen the receiver wishes to reply, his head piece may be shifted whilehe sends a return message.

Thus itwill appear that various uses may be made to suit the play of thechildren using the toy.

hat I claim is my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy telephone, consisting of a hollow casing in which is supporteda vibratory diaphragm, the casing wall on one side of the diaphragmbeing centrally perforated to permit the passage of a wire leading tothe diaphragm, a support tor the telephone instrument surrounding theopening through the casing Wall, to Which Wall the support is secured,and a supporting plate on the inside of the casing to Which the saidsupport for the telephone instrument is connected.

2. A toy telephone, consisting of a hollow casing in which is supporteda Vibratory diaphragm, the casing Wall on one side of the diaphragmbeing centrally perforated to permit the passage of a Wire leading tothe diaphragm, and a support for the telephone instrument surroundingthe opening through the casing Wall and secured thereabout.

HAROLD D. ALLEN.

